Plans Announced for Shropshire Advanced Manufacturing Training Hub
Plans for an advanced manufacturing training hub in Shropshire have been announced, with the aim of supporting â2020 learners by 2020â. The Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology (MCMT), which is led by a consortium of Classic Motor Cars, Grainger & Worrall, Salop Design & Engineering and training provider In-Comm, will provide a high-tech environment for individuals to learn from engineering experts on the latest technology, which will involve working on real life manufacturing situations. Supported by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, work will start on fitting out the 36,000 sq ft building on the Stanmore Industrial Estate in January 2017, with plans in place to create dedicated fabrication, foundry, lathe, metrology, milling, robotics and vehicle trimming sections, as well as a specialist CNC Zone and spray booth/mixing capabilities. There will also be an auditorium lecture theatre, bespoke learning environments, five vehicle ramps and a rolling road test facility. It will look to support 2020 learners between now and 2020 and this will largely involve developing apprentices in advanced manufacturing and engineering, giving employers a strong pool of skills to tap into as they continue to compete globally. In addition to this, there will also be capacity to work with 400 companies on developing existing manufacturing professionals up to Level 7 qualifications, covering business improvement techniques, team leadership, vehicle body repair and paint, vehicle body building, technical development, quality and continuous improvement. Matthew Snelson, director of Grainger & Worrall and managing director of the MCMT, said: We believe the MCMT is critical to closing the skills gap for Shropshire businesses, but we are under no illusions that we will need the rest of local industry, education and training to play their part. This could be through informing how the provision develops, using the services and even offering time and expertise to help with delivering some of the learning. Manufacturing & Engineering Magazine | The Home of Manufacturing Industry News
Welsh Government to Invest £20m in Advanced Manufacturing & Research Institute
The Welsh Government is planning to invest £20 million in a new Advanced Manufacturing & Research Institute have been welcomed by Colin Sirett, chief executive officer of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). The AMRC has worked with Deeside Enterprise Zone Advisory Board, Swansea University, and Coleg Cambria to develop the new Institute in conjunction with SMEs and large companies. The Institute will focus on research into and development of advanced manufacturing techniques and production processes for advanced manufacturing sectors including aerospace, automotive, nuclear and food. It will also address training and skills needs across industry. Announcing the investment, during a visit to the Airbus plant at Broughton, North Wales, Welsh Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: The Institute will deliver game-changing support to key manufacturing companies as well as multi-sector supply chain companies and the broader SMEs economy. It is geared to increase productivity, commercialisation, innovation and skills development to ensure a thriving competitive industry base that will be a catalyst for growth and jobs across the supply chain in Deeside, North Wales, the Northern Powerhouse and further afield. Airbus will be the anchor tenant for the new Institute, which will incorporate a state-of-the-art research and development facility at the European aircraft manufacturerâs Broughton plant, where it is working with the AMRC to develop new wing production technology as part of the Wing of the Future programme. AMRC CEO Colin Sirett said: The £20 million investment by the Welsh Government, combined with the £10 million from the project partners, will give an important boost to the competitiveness of the advanced manufacturing supply chain in Wales. The new instituteâs impact will go far beyond aerospace, supporting both the automotive and nuclear industries in Wales. It also encompasses sectors which have not traditionally been thought of as part of advanced manufacturing, which can, nevertheless, reap major benefits from the new techniques and technologies we will be developing. The Institute will operate as a single entity, split between a proposed 4,500 sq m state of the art hub R&D facility in Broughton and a 1000 â 1,500 sq m networking, training, business development and advice facility in close proximity to the Deeside Industrial Park. The Advanced Manufacturing & Research Institute is the latest in a number of collaborations the University’s AMRC is involved in around the world, including in Korea, China and the USA.
Welsh Government Pledges £20m Into Advanced Manufacturing & Research Institute
The Welsh government has pledged £20 million to establish an Advanced Manufacturing & Research Institute in the country. The funding will help it secure a key role in the design and development of future aircraft wing technology. The institute has been developed by the Deeside Enterprise Zone Advisory Board, AMRC Sheffield, Swansea University, and Coleg Cambria in conjunction with SMEs and large companies. It will have a primary focus on advanced manufacturing sectors including aerospace, automotive, nuclear and food. The facility will target collaborative R&D, advanced manufacturing techniques and production processes, training needs and skills across industry. The institute will operate as a single entity, split between a proposed 4,500sq m R&D site in Broughton and a 1,500sq m networking, training, business development and advice facility situated near to the Deeside Industrial Park. Both centres will be open access and outward looking, actively seeking collaborative partnerships with industry and academia partners locally and internationally. Ken Skates, Economy Secretary, commented: The institute will deliver game-changing support to key manufacturing companies as well as multi-sector supply chain companies and the broader SMEs economy. It is geared to increase productivity, commercialisation, innovation and skills development to ensure a thriving competitive industry base that will be a catalyst for growth and jobs across the supply chain in Deeside, North Wales, the Northern Powerhouse and further afield. The in principal funding from the Welsh government will support an initial £10 million investment from project partners to develop the institute. Airbus has confirmed that it will be the first tenant for the centre. Working with AMRC Sheffield as the key partner it involves the R&D test phase for new wing technology, called Wing of the Future which includes the prototype and delivery of design, engineering and a wing demonstrator at Broughton. The R&D project will support Broughtonâs ability to secure the manufacture of these new wings in the future, which will help towards safeguarding thousands of jobs up to 2030.
